Can your diet actually be the cause of your hair loss? If you follow a restrictive diet, it can cause hair to thin or worse, fall out. The following are tips that will make sure you get all the nutrients you need for hair health, even if you are on a diet for medical/ lifestyle reasons.
Hair Loss with Weight Loss
Dropping a few pounds in an attempt to reach a healthy weight can help avoid strenuous health conditions in the long run. However, in the short term, a diet that is low in calorie can have a negative impact on hair health. Dermatologist state that a weight loss of 15 pounds plus can result in hair loss, though growth usually returns to normal once weight is stabilized.
Hair Health with Protein
A lack of protein in the diet reduces the body’s ability to produce hair, since hair is made directly from protein. This lack of protein causes a disproportionately large number of hairs to enter the resting phase of hair growth, lasting about three months, before it eventually falls out. If you find that you are shedding more hairs than you normally do, make sure you have a sufficient protein intake. Adults require two to three full servings of protein daily, and they can get this from foods like fish, beans, lean meat, butter or eggs.
Hair Loss with Iron
One of the symptoms of iron deficiency is hair loss. Your doctor can diagnose iron deficiency quickly with a simple blood test. Vegetarians are at a higher risk for iron deficiency, since the iron in plants is not easy to absorb like that which is in meat. As a vegetarian, one should consider eating cereals fortified with iron, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, spinach and lentils to get a good source of iron.
Hair Health with Vitamin D
A lack of vitamin D in the body can cause problems with hair health. Since vitamin D is produced naturally in the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Excessive sun exposure, however, can cause skin cancer. Vitamin D can also be found in fortified milk and cereals. The body’s cycle of hair production is greatly impacted by vitamin D.
If hair loss has you worried, ask your doctor for advice. Most vitamin deficiencies can be diagnosed quickly with a blood test. When you find out what nutrients are absent in your diet, you can take supplements or change your diet to support the health of your hair.
Like always, if you or someone you know is experiencing hair loss then we invite you for a free hair loss consultation. Schedule your free consultation today!
